Various forms of lottery and like ticket dispensers are known, most if not all possessing certain fundamental attributes; e.g., transparent walls through which the stack of tickets may be seen, provision for safeguarding the dispenser against unauthorized removal of tickets, means for attaching the dispenser to a counter or like support and the provision of a slot through which the tickets may be manually extracted. Known machines or dispensers suffer from various faults and disadvantages; such as high initial cost, complicated dispensing systems, vulnerability to tampering, large space-consuming dimensions and the like.
According to the present invention, the foregoing and other disadvantages are eliminated by the provision of a simple, low-cost but durable structure so dimensioned as to occupy minimum mounting space, as on a counter or the like and so configured as to assure convenient trouble-free extraction of tickets. A significant feature is that the slot through which the tickets are manually extracted is bordered by lip and flange elements that guide the exiting tickets accurately and that further prevent unauthorized extraction of tickets. The slot is defined by cooperative wall elements between which the tickets must pass; and these wall elements are relatively adjustable to vary the tension on the ticket series or chain. This tension provides control of the tickets when separating dispensed tickets from the stack and helps to prevent damage to tickets which can occur when separating. Still further, the interior of the box-like structure in which the stack of tickets is confined is shaped in such fashion as to eliminate or minimize obstructions to the free flow of tickets.
Additional features and advantages will become apparent as preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the ensuing description when taken with the accompanying drawings.